Tonbo Asijin
Mirumoto Asijin was the founder (with his wife, Isawa Maroko) and first Daimyo of the Dragonfly Clan. The story of the love shared by him and his wife gave life to the Dragonfly, and continues, for better and worse, to haunt his offspring to this day. The sacrifice of his life gave life and protection to his descendants. Early Life and the Vision of Mirumoto Tomo Born probably in the later half of the 7th century, Mirumoto Asijin married a woman, whose name is lost to history, and the couple was expecting a child. Sadly, his wife did not survive the trials of childbirth, and their infant son died just a few days after its mother. Asijin sank to a deep depression, and approached the Mirumoto family Daimyo, Mirumoto Tomo, with a request to perform Seppuku. When this was denied him, he begged to be released from his duties so he could retire to a monastery, but this was denied him as well. Tomo told him that he had a vision concerning Asijin, that he had a great destiny that he would fulfil for his Clan. Way of the Minor Clans, p. 40 For although Asijin served Tomo faithfully and without hesitation, Tomo always denied anything Asijin asked of him. Whatever the request, Tomo always said no. Secrets of the Empire, p. 41 Love and Second Marriage Years later, a much younger Phoenix Shugenja, named Isawa Maroko, was sent by her Master to study the ways of the Dragon Clan. The Phoenix delegates asked Mirumoto Tomo for a Dragon to be assigned informally as her yojimbo, and Asijin was the chosen. Secrets of the Empire, p. 42 When Asijin met her, he found that she eased the pain of his loss, and she admired his gentle strength and his faithful service to his Clan even in the face of devastating loss. The two fell deeply in love. Unfortunately, Maroko was already betrothed to a young Lion bushi, named Akodo Yokutsu. Asijin decided he could not face losing his love once again, and again approached Mirumoto Tomo, begging permission to perform Seppuku. Once again, the Mirumoto Daimyo refused, saying: “Fate whispers in your ear. Do not ignore what it says.” That night Asijin and Maroko decided that they should marry, with or without the blessing of their families. Asijin asked to be released of his duties, and to his surprise, his family assented. Next he and Maroko travelled to Kyuden Isawa, where they approached Maroko's master, the Master of Water Isawa Ejuko, who also granted them her blessing. The couple journeyed back west with their attendants, and set up a settlement at the foot of the Dragon Mountains. There they established a bushi school and a shugenja school, continuing the work they made in their respective families. The Battle of Kyuden Tonbo and Imperial Recognition The jilted Akodo Yokutsu, sought redress from the two Clans, but he was turned away by both. Enraged (and love stricken), Secrets of the Lion, p. 28 he gathered an army of 5,000 Lion bushi, Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 14 and set out toward the small settlement of the couple. As he charged the settlement, slaughtering Asijin’s students left and right, it was only the magic of Maroko and her students that kept the invading force from overwhelming the settlement on the very first day of the battle. However, the battle seemed doomed, as by the next day it was doubtful any bushi remained to defend the settlement. To everyone’s surprise, the next morning the Lion army awoke to find itself surrounded. To the east it was flanked by a Phoenix army and to the west by a Dragon one. Yokutsu’s retreat was blocked by an army of shugenja from both clans. As a condition for his retreat Yokutsu was made to swear never to harass the couple again. Secrets of the Phoenix, p. 10 In 704, the Emperor granted the couple a family name – Tonbo – and minor clan status. Several writings provide a different reasoning to this decision – that he was so impressed by the support the couple managed to secure, that he was pleased by the show of solidarity and peace between the most reclusive Clans in the Empire, and wished to commemorate the occasion, Secrets of the Dragon, p. 8 and that he was predisposed against the Lion and pro-Crane, and so was pleased with the result of the battle. Maroko and Asijin decided to fly the banner of the Dragonfly, showing their heritage and their loyalty to the Clans who fathered them. Way of the Dragon, p. 26 The Battle of the Great Climb and Asijin's Death Seven years later, in 711, insulted by an Agasha ambassador at court, Way of the Dragon, p. 26 The Emperor declared Maroko's wedding illegal, and that the original bond was still valid. Isawa Maroko was to be immediately granted a divorce, and wed Yokutsu or commit seppuku for staining her family's honor. Yokutsu asked to have her sentence repealed, but to no avail. Way of the Lion, p. 110 Yokutsu decided that the time has come for him to exact his revenge and gain Maroko at last. Again he raised a 5,000 strong army Way of the Minor Clans, p. 41 and, carefully avoiding Dragonfly lands, set out to Dragon lands and laid siege to Shiro Agasha. The Mirumoto showed up in force, and the siege lasted five days, Way of the Dragon, p. 27 after which time a meeting was arranged between Yokutsu and Togashi Ayoko, the Dragon Clan Champion. Yokutsu demanded a duel with Mirumoto Asijin as a condition for lifting the siege. Ayoko summoned Asijin, told him what had transpired, and demanded: "Your folly has gone far enough. It is time for you to pay for the breach you have caused us with the Akodo family. You will duel Akodo Yokatsu, and you will allow him to win. Your honor will be preserved, and Yokatsu will be satisfied with his revenge". Asijin, who was an excellent duelist, Asijin's Legacy (The Plague War flavor) agreed, but added: "Ayoko-sama, I will do this to restore the honor of my family, the Mirumoto, and the Dragon Clan, our benefactor, but I beseech you to promise me that forevermore, the Dragonfly Clan will have the allegiance and the protection of the Dragon Clan. For these things I will gladly give my life." to which Togashi agreed. On the next day, as Yokutsu charged him, Asijin never even bothered to draw his katana. Mirumoto Asijin Category:Dragonfly Clan Leaders